Chocolate Snowball Cookies

This chocolate snowball cookie recipe makes fudgy and chewy cookies. And they are almost too pretty to eat with the crackled, snowy tops. 

Baked snowball cookies on the baking sheet.

These cookies totally rocked my socks.

  • They are fudgy and chewy and not tooth-achingly sweet.
  • They are almost too pretty to eat with the crackled snowy tops. Almost is the operative word here, you will eat them.

What You Need

Here are a few of the ingredients worth mentioning:

  • Melted good-quality dark chocolate: this can be done over a saucepan of simmering water or (my favorite way), in the microwave.
  • Cocoa powder: for a double-dose of dark chocolate flavor.
  • Powdered sugar: for rolling before baking. As the cookies bake and expand, the sugar topping crackles for the special effect.
  • Brown sugar: this adds a deeper flavor. Only a little is used in the cookie dough itself as the icing sugar finish takes care of the sweetness.
Chocolate snowball cookies on a red napkin with a glass of milk.

A few tips for perfect chocolate snowballs

  • CHILL the dough. I know, patience and chocolate do not belong in the same sentence. But you have to control yourself here. Unless you want runny dough and flat cookies.
  • Roll the cookies really well in confectioners’ sugar. When you think you’ve got enough on there, roll ’em one more time. You’ll get that gorgeous white-on-black contrast in the finished cookie.
  • Take them out of the oven when they are still slightly underdone to make sure you get that chewy-fudgy characteristic that makes these babies blissful.
Rolling chocolate snowball cookie dough in a bowl of powdered sugar.
Snowball cookie dough balls rolled in icing sugar before baking.
Can you make chocolate snowball cookies in advance?

To make in advance, dough balls may be stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator before baking, frozen (tightly wrapped) for up to 3 weeks.

Can you freeze chocolate snowball cookies?

Yes, you can freeze them in airtight containers for up to 3 weeks. The powdered sugar effect may not be as pronounced as the sugar dissolves on the surface the longer they are stored.

What kind of chocolate should I use for chocolate snowball cookies?

I like to use 70% dark chocolate for richness and to make sure they are not too sweet once rolled in powdered sugar. Standard chocolate chips also work fine!

Looking for easy holiday goodies? Check out my collection of 15+ Delicious No-Bake Christmas Treats.

Chocolate Snowball Cookies baked on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Chocolate Snowball Cookies

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 36 cookies
Dessert
American
Keyword chocolate ball cookies, chocolate snowball cookie, chocolate snowball cookies, chocolate snowballs

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 ounces chopped dark chocolate or 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • â…“ cup cocoa
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • â…” cup confectioners’ sugar also known as icing sugar/powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water or in the microwave at 60% power in 30-second intervals. Stop when chocolate is 80% melted and stir to finish melting it. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
  • With an electric mixer on medium-high speeed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then vanilla and chocolate. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture. Chill dough until firm.
  • Preheat oven to 375ºF. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll between your palms to form smooth balls.
  • Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow dish. Roll dough balls generously in the confectioners’ sugar (you want a thick coating).
  • Place dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes, until tops are cracked and centre is almost set. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

To make ahead: dough may be stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 0.5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 59mgPotassium: 8mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 93IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword chocolate ball cookies, chocolate snowball cookie, chocolate snowball cookies, chocolate snowballs

Last Updated on January 2, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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Autumn
Autumn
2 years ago

Is it 6 oz PLUS 180 grams Of chocolate?
or 6 oz / 180 grams?

Madiha
Madiha
3 years ago

I think this recipe is supposed to be 1 and 3/4 cups of flour
The flour seems really off. My dough looked like buttercream.. So I added an extra cup of flour and they were perfect

Joelle
Joelle
3 years ago

Can these be frozen after baking?

Joy
Joy
3 years ago

5 stars
I followed the recipe exactly and everyone loved them. I’m gonna make these every winter season

Barbara
Barbara
5 years ago

The dough was very sticky and the cookies spread out too much. No sure what happened. We froze the dough for recommended amount of time. In my experience, we should have froze for longer. Also I think the balls we rolled were too big. I assume the dough should not be sticky at all when roll the balls.

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